Connecting structure of vehicle body constituting member in vehicle or the like

ABSTRACT

A connecting structure for a vehicle for providing strength while achieving a light weight formation for the vehicle body. A connecting structure for connecting a vehicle body portion and a sub-constituting member connected to a main constituting member. The main constituting member is formed in a box shape section. A reinforcing pin extends along a connecting direction of the sub-constituting member and is provided to penetrate a vicinity of the connecting portion for connecting the sub-constituting member. A connecting member is superposed on the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin and is provided at a corner portion of the connecting portion for connecting the main constituting member and sub-constituting member. The connecting member is integrated to the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin respectively by welding. Both end portions of the reinforcing pin are integrated to the main constituting member by welding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle or the like.

[0003] 2. Description of Background Art

[0004] Conventionally, in a vehicle, for example, a saddle-ride type vehicle 1 as shown in FIG. 5, there is provided a pair of left and right main pipes 2 constituting an upper portion of a vehicle body portion. A pair of left and right under pipes 3 are arranged along the lower sides of the main pipes 2 and are connected to the main pipes 2 at front sides thereof. A rear fork 4 is pivotably mounted to rear sides of the under pipes 3 in an up and down direction. An engine 5 is arranged at a space portion formed by the main pipes 2 and the under pipes 3 and is fixed to the under pipes 3. A pair of left and right front wheels 6 are mounted to the left and right sides of the front portions of the main pipes 2 and the under pipes 3 are movably mounted in an up and down direction. A pair of rear wheels 7 are mounted to the left and right sides of the rear fork 4.

[0005] Further, on the front sides of the main pipes 2, a radiator 8 is provided for cooling water circulated to the engine 5 and an oil cooler 9 is provided for cooling oil similarly circulated to the engine 5. At the front portions of the main pipes 2 and on rear sides of the radiator 8 and the oil cooler 9, a steering handle 10 is provided for steering the front wheels 6. Further, on a rear side of the steering handle 10, a fuel tank 11 is provided.

[0006] Further, on a rear side of the fuel tank 11, a seat 13 is supported by seat pipes 12 that extend to the rear of the main pipes 2. On a lower side of the seat 13, an air cleaner 14 is provided for cleaning combustion air supplied to the engine 5.

[0007] Further, the engine 5 is connected with a silencer 15 for emitting combustion gas to the ambient air and restraining exhaust noises. The silencer 15 is arranged between the seat pipes 12 and the rear wheels 7 and is supported by the seat pipes 12.

[0008] In the meantime, the rear fork 4 is pivotably supported by bearings 17 attached to pivot plates 16 provided at rear portions of the under pipes 3.

[0009] Further, the left and right main pipes 2, under pipes 3, and seat pipes 12 are connected to each other by a plurality of cross pipes 18 arranged along a width direction of the vehicle 1 and constituting a vehicle body as a whole.

[0010] In the meantime, for example, the pivot plates 16 which is one of the vehicle body constituting members, needs to be of a strength and sufficient for supporting the rear fork 4. For that purpose, the pivot plates 16 are formed by forging or casting or the like and are integrated to the under pipes 3 or the like by welding.

[0011] However, when such pivot plate 16 is formed by forging or casting, there poses a problem that the pivot plate 16 per se becomes heavy.

[0012] The problem is not limited to the pivot plate 16 but is common in almost all the vehicle body constituting members constituting the vehicle body portion.

[0013] Further, in order to avoid such a problem, it is conceivable to form the vehicle body constituting member in a hollow box shape to thereby reduce the weight, however, even by such a method, in order to further ensure the strength of the vehicle body constituting member per se, an improvement in view of structure is requested.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention has been carried out in view of the above-identified problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting structure of a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle or the like capable of promoting strength while achieving a light weight formation of a vehicle body constituting member constituting a vehicle body portion.

[0015] In order to achieve the above-described object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connecting structure of a vehicle body constituting member of a vehicle or the like having a connecting structure for connecting a main constituting member constituting a vehicle body portion of a vehicle and a sub-constituting member connected to the main constituting portion. The main constituting member is formed in a box shape section. A reinforcing pin is provided along a connecting direction of the sub constituting member to penetrate a vicinity of a connecting portion of the main constituting member connected to the sub-constituting member. A connecting member is positioned to superpose on the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin and is provided at a corner portion of the connecting portion of the main constituting member and the sub constituting member. The connecting member is integrated to the main constituting member. The sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin are connected by welding at respective superposed portions thereof. Further, both end portions of the reinforcing pin are integrated to the main constituting member by welding.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the connecting structure of a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle or the like according to the first aspect, wherein the main constituting member is a frame member and the sub-constituting member is a connecting member for connecting the frame members to each other.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the connecting structure of a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle or the like according to the second aspect, wherein the main constituting member is the frame member, the sub-constituting member is the connecting member for connecting the frame members to each other. Further, the vehicle is a saddle-ride type vehicle, the reinforcing pin is provided to project at a side portion of the main constituting member and constitutes a pivot shaft of a brake pedal provided to brake the vehicle.

[0018] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

[0020]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a side view of essential portions;

[0021]FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention taken along the arrow I direction in FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a sectional view taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show connecting members used in one embodiment of the present invention in which FIG. 4(a) is a side view and FIG. 4(b) is a front view; and

[0024]FIG. 5 is an outline side view showing a saddle-ride type vehicle as a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] A detailed explanation will be given of an embodiment of the present invention in reference to the drawings as follows. In the following explanation, main constituting members of a vehicle that are common to those illustrated in FIG. 5 and accordingly, with respect to the common portions, the same notations are used to thereby simplify the explanation.

[0026] As shown by FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a connecting structure of a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle or the like according to the embodiment, is applied to connecting portions for connecting the pivot plates 16 as main constituting members for constituting the vehicle body portion of the saddle-ride type vehicle 1. The cross pipe 18 is provided as a sub-constituting member for connecting the pair of under pipes 3 at rear end portions of lower portions thereof. An outline constitution is constructed in which the pivot plate 16 is formed in a box shape section. A reinforcing pin 19 is provided along a connecting direction of the cross pipe 18 to penetrate in a vicinity of a connecting portion of the pivot plate 16 connected to the cross pipe 18. The connecting member 20 is made to superpose on the pivot plate 16, the cross pipe 18 and the reinforcing pin 19 and is provided at a corner portion of the connecting portion for connecting the pivot plate 16, the cross pipe 18, the connecting member 20 and is integrated to the pivot plate 16, the cross pipe 18 and the reinforcing pin 19 by welding at respective superposed portion thereof. Further, both end portions of the reinforcing pin 19 are integrated to the pivot plate 16 by welding.

[0027] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, rear end portions of the under pipes 3 are bent toward upper sides by a predetermined radius of curvature and at front portions of the bent portions, the pair of left and right under pipes 3 are connected to each other by the cross pipe 18.

[0028] Further, portions of terminal ends of the bent portions of the under pipes 3, are connected with connection pipes 21 extending from the under pipes 3 in a skewed upper front direction and other end portions of the connection pipes 21 are connected to the main pipes 2 to thereby connect the respective under pipe 3 and the main pipe 2.

[0029] As shown by FIG. 2, the pivot plate 16 is constituted by a pair of plate constituting members 16 a and 16 b which are press-formed such that sections thereof constitute substantially an L-like shape that is formed in a box shape in section thereof in which a lower side and a rear side thereof are opened by superposing and welding bent portions of the plate constituting members 16 a and 16 b.

[0030] Further, as shown by FIG. 1, a lower portion of the respective pivot plate 16 is constituted by a linear portion A formed in a linear shape in a front end rear direction of the saddle-ride type vehicle 1 and a curved portion B which is continuous to a rear side of the linear portion A and having a radius of curvature substantially the same as that of the bent portions of the under pipes 3. Further, the curved portion B is changed to a second linear portion C constituting a predetermined angle relative to the linear portion A.

[0031] Further, according to the pivot plate 16, the linear portion A is butted to a front side of the bent portion of the under pipe 3, further, the curved portion B is butted to the bent portion of the under pipe 3, further, the second linear portion C is butted to the connection pipe 21, respectively, and the pivot plate 16 is welded to cover portions of the side faces of the respective pipes by the two plates constituting members 16 a and 16 b to thereby fixedly be attached thereto.

[0032] In the meantime, at a position of the pivot plate 16 which is attached thereto as described above, opposed to the cross pipe 18, the reinforcing pin 19 is penetrated to be in parallel with the cross pipe 18 and both end portions thereof are integrated to the respective plate constituting members 16 a and 16 b by welding.

[0033] As shown by FIG. 4(a), the connecting member 20 is formed by press-forming such that a section thereof constitutes an inverse U-shape. Further, substantially a right triangle is constituted in a side view, as shown by FIG. 2, an orthogonal one side portion thereof is butted to the cross pipe 18 to envelope a portion of an upper side thereof. In addition, an orthogonal other side portion is butted to a side face of the pivot plate 16 and respectively thereof is integrated thereto by welding.

[0034] Further, a recess 20 a is formed at an upper portion of the other side portion of the connecting member 20, one end portion of the reinforcing pin 19 is engaged with the recess 20 a and integrated thereto by welding in the engaged state.

[0035] In this way, according to the embodiment, the pivot plate 16 is connected to the under pipe 3 and the connection pipe 21 and is connected to the cross pipe 18 via the reinforcing pin 19 and the connecting member 20.

[0036] According to such a connecting structure, the connecting portion for connecting the pivot plate 16 and the cross pipe 18 is made to be a rigid structure by the reinforcing pin 19 and the connecting member 20 and both are solidly connected.

[0037] Further, by promoting the rigidity of the connecting portion, load operating on the pivot plate 16 is supported to be dispersed smoothly by the cross pipe 18. As a result, load shared by the pivot plate 16 is alleviated, thereby, the design strength of the pivot plate 16 can be reduced.

[0038] Therefore, as shown by the embodiment, even when the pivot plate 16 is constituted by a shape of a hollow box shape section, sufficient durability is achieved, in accordance therewith. Thus, a light weight formation of the pivot plate 16 can be achieved.

[0039] Further, various shapes, dimensions and the like of the respective constituting members shown in the above-described embodiment, are only an example and the main constituting members and the sub constituting members constituting the vehicle body portion and connected to each other, can arbitrarily be set.

[0040] For example, although according to the above-described embodiment, an example is set forth wherein the main constituting member is made as the pivot plate 16 and the sub-constituting member is made as the cross pipe 18, the present invention is applied to the connecting portion for connecting these elements. In place thereof, for example, the rear fork 4 may be constituted by a pair of pivoting arms having a box shape section and a cross pipe connecting these and the connecting structure of the present invention can be applied to a connecting portion for connecting the pivoting arms and the cross pipe.

[0041] Further, the present invention is also applicable when a frame member such as a main frame or a down tube of a motor cycle is formed in a box shape section and pairs of the frame members are connected by cross pipes to thereby constitute the frame.

[0042] Further, as shown by FIG. 2, for example, when a vehicle is a saddle-ride type vehicle, it is possible that one end portion of the reinforcing pin 19 projects outwardly and as shown by a chain line in the drawing, for example, a brake pedal 22 that is used for braking the vehicle may be supported by a projecting portion of the reinforcing pin 19. A bearing 17 may be provided for connecting a rear wheel frame member to the vehicle.

[0043] Or, it is also possible that the reinforcing pin 19 projects to an inner side of the vehicle and may be utilized as a supporting member of various apparatus arranged on the inner side.

[0044] Since the present invention is constituted as described above, the connecting portion for connecting the main constituting member and sub constituting member, can be made as a rigid structure by the reinforcing pin and the connecting member and both can be solidly connected.

[0045] Further, by promoting the rigidity of the connecting portion, the load operating on the main constituting member can be smoothly dispersed to the sub constituting member to thereby alleviate load shared by the main constituting member, thereby, the design strength of the main constituting member can be reduced.

[0046] Therefore, even when the main constituting member is formed in the shape of the hollow box shape section, sufficient durability can be achieved, in accordance therewith. In addition, a light weight formation of the main constituting member can be achieved.

[0047] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be vaned in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member of a vehicle, for connecting a main constituting member constituting a vehicle body portion of a vehicle and a sub-constituting member connected to the main constituting portion, comprising: the main constituting member is formed in a box shape section; a reinforcing pin extending along a connecting direction of the sub-constituting member for penetrating a vicinity of a connecting portion of the main constituting member connected to the sub-constituting member; a connecting member superposed on the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin, said connecting member being provided at a corner portion of the connecting portion of the main constituting member and the sub-constituting member; the connecting member being integrated to the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin by welding at respective superposed portions thereof; and both end portions of the reinforcing pin are integrated to the main constituting member by welding.
 2. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the main constituting member is a frame member and the sub-constituting member is a connecting member for connecting the frame members to each other.
 3. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the main constituting member is the frame member, the sub-constituting member is the connecting member for connecting the frame members to each other, the vehicle is a saddle-ride type vehicle, the reinforcing pin is provided to project from a side portion of the main constituting member and constitutes a pivot shaft of a brake pedal provided to brake the vehicle.
 4. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is triangular shape in cross section for providing an enlarged area for welding to said connecting member and an enlarged area extending along the sub-constituting member for welding thereto.
 5. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein said connecting member is folded in a U-shape for welding two sections of the enlarged area to the connecting member and for welding two sections of the enlarged area extending along the sub-constituting member thereto.
 6. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 1 , and further including an under pipe, said main constituting member is curved to accommodate curvature of said under pipe.
 7. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said main constituting member includes a first and second plate, said first and second plate being welded on a first side to each other and being welded on a second side to the vehicle body.
 8. The connecting structure for a vehicle body constituting member in a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said main constituting member includes a first end for welding to the vehicle body a second end for welding to a connecting pipe and an enlarged central portion for mounting the reinforcing pin and said connecting member and for securing the connecting member to the main constituting member, the sub-constituting member and the reinforcing pin.
 9. A connecting structure for a vehicle body comprising: an under pipe; a cross-pipe secured to said under pipe; a main plate member including a first end, a central portion and a distal end; a reinforcing pin having a first end and a second end, said reinforcing pin extending substantially parallel to said cross-pipe and penetrating approximately the central portion of said main plate; a connecting member mounted adjacent to the main plate, the cross-pipe and the reinforcing pin, said connecting member being integrated to the main plate, the cross-pipe and the reinforcing pin by welding at respective adjacent portions thereof; and said first end and said second end of said reinforcing pin being integrated to the main plate member by welding.
 10. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein the main plate member is a frame member and the cross-pipe is a connecting member for connecting frame members to each other.
 11. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 10 , wherein the main plate member is the frame member, the cross-pipe is the connecting member for connecting the frame members to each other and said reinforcing pin being provided to project from a side portion of the main plate for providing a pivot shaft of a brake pedal provided to brake the vehicle.
 12. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein the connecting member is triangular shape in cross section for providing an enlarged area for welding to said main plate member and an enlarged area extending along the cross-pipe for welding thereto.
 13. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 12 , wherein said connecting member is folded in a U-shape for welding two sections of the enlarged area to the main plate member and for welding two sections of the enlarged area extending along the cross pipe thereto.
 14. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein said main plate member is curved to accommodate curvature of said under pipe.
 15. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein said main plate member includes a first and second plate, said first and second plate being welded on a first side to each other and being welded on a second side to the under pipe.
 16. The connecting structure for a vehicle body according to claim 9 , wherein said main plate member includes a first end for welding to the under pipe a second end for welding to a connecting pipe and an enlarged central portion for mounting the reinforcing pin and said connecting member and for securing the connecting member to the main plate member, the cross pipe and the reinforcing pin. 